Abstract:Objective：To summarize the experience of emergency orthotopic liver transplantation (EOLT) for severe hepatitis， and discuss the operative indications.
Methods：The clinical data of 34 patients with severe hepatitis and acute liver failure. who were candidates for liver transplantation was retrospective reviewed.
Results：Among the 34 patients, 11 of them underwent liver transplantation, 14 of them died while waiting for donor liver and 9 cases lost the chance of undergoing transplantation. In the 11 cases with liver transplatation, one case died of pulmonary infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on postoperative day 7, one case died of primary poor graft function and renal failure on postoperative day 20, and the other 9 cases made a good recovery. At follow up of 6-29 months, 1 case died of chronic rejection 12 months after operation.
Conclusions：Emergency liver transplantation is effective treatment for acute liver failure caused by severe hepatitis. The indications for the operation are: (1) Stage Ⅱ or higher degree of encephalopathy: (2) prolongation of PT>15s; (3) Serum TBIL>300μmol/L(17.5mg/dl) or progressive daily increase of TBIL (>17.1μmol/L).